The Beginning
by Sihaya
Summary: Every story has a beginning...and every beginning has an end.


Disclaimer- all characters belong to JK Rowling, blah blah blah. Review please. Chapter One 

_Dear Rowena,_

_            Happy 19th Birthday! It seems so long ago, the day we met, doesn't it? But, I remember it perfectly. _

            It was a stormy day, and it had started to rain. I had been stupid and forgot my umbrella when I took my walk in the park. But you were there, and you had one, and you took me back to the Three Broomsticks and we had a butterbeer, remember? You were working there.

_            I wish I wasn't so far away from you now. I miss you terribly, but preparations for the Quidditch World Cup are under way, and the Ministry needs every wizard they've got! _

_                                    Hope to see you soon!_

_                                    Love,_

_                                    Godric_

            Rowena Ravenclaw smiled and folded up the parchment lovingly. She ran her fingers over the seal- a lion, Godric's favorite animal. She realized just how terribly she missed him as she rose from bench and walked into the pub. It was a new place, freshly built between two Muggle stores. Behind it, a whole alley was being constructed, like a strip mall for wizards. The wand place, called Ollivanders, had relocated to London from some city in France and had chosen the new alley- called Diagon Alley, after the man who had started it all. There was also rumored to be a bank, with goblins running it and underground carts and the outside of the whole thing was to be covered in marble. There was also said to be a kind of pet shop, an apothecary, a bookstore, and a whole store devoted to everything Quidditch. Rowena smiled knowingly. Godric will be hardly able to contain himself when he hears of that, she thought. Godric was a huge Quidditch fan and went to every game he could, sometimes traveling to Durmstrang to see the students play. 

            "Hello, Salazar," Rowena said pleasantly as she sat down at the bar, ordering a brandy and sipping at it slowly. Salazar's mouth twisted into a smile- a big smile, for him- and he wrapped his hands around his mug. "The World Cup's going to be soon," Rowena remarked. "America versus England- it's going to be quite a showdown."

            "Godric is going," Salazar said.

            "He's helping," Rowena said quietly, noticing the subtle way that Salazar tensed whenever Godric was mentioned. They had been like brothers through school, Rowena knew because she had been their friend back at Durmstrang. But somehow, something had changed. A deep rift had grown between the two and they had to force themselves to be civil around each other. Rowena felt horribly torn between her lover and her brother- for they each meant so much to her. She twisted the diamond engagement ring on her finger nervously. It was a habit. Something flashed in Salazar's eyes for a moment but it dulled as he took another sip of his drink. Its acrid smell burned the insides of Rowena's nose.

            "I'm going," Salazar grunted. "Rooting for America." 

            "Oh," Rowena said. "Why?" Salazar shrugged and set his mug back down. 

            "Where has Godric been all this time, Rowena?" he asked suddenly. 

            "You know where he's been," Rowena answered, her brows drawing together. "He's been helping the Ministry with the Cup preparations." Salazar's lips tightened and his eyes narrowed inexplicably. Rowena gulped a bit of her drink uncomfortably and wiped her mouth against the back of her hand.

            "I'm afraid I must leave now, Salazar," Rowena said, pulling a few Knuts from deep inside her pocket. They clicked in the silence onto the gleaming top of the bar. Salazar turned back to his drink. "Goodbye," Rowena said in a half whisper. Then she turned and walked quickly out of the pub, still wearing her Muggle clothes. 

~~~

            Godric Gryffindor stood high in the stands of the newly erected Quidditch stadium. It was located in the heart of England, deep in a forest with Muggle repelling charms covering every millimeter of the place. A strong wind blew, whistling through the bleachers and causing Godric's hair to fly around. A lithe blond woman climbed gracefully up the steps towards him.

            "Marie," he breathed, smiling brightly at the woman. She was a veela, to be exact. Her blue eyes widened and sparkled in happiness as she saw him. The gauzy dress that she wore clung to her figure as she moved. Godric's heart skipped a beat. "I'm so happy to see you," he said.

            "And I, you," Marie said, smiling back at him. "This is coming along nicely," she said, gesturing at the Quidditch field. Teams of wizards in striped robes were erecting the last yellow hoop on one end of the field. Another wizard was painting thick white boundary lines along both sides of the field with his wand.

            "It's so beautiful out today," Godric said. He snaked his arm around her waist.

            "Yes," Marie said. "Beautiful." 

            What she doesn't know won't hurt her, a voice said inside Godric's mind.


End file.
